A Christmas to Remember
by jaybunzy0
Summary: Elena's found a way to restore her memories, has gotten everything she's lost back, and decides she'll reveal this to Damon on Christmas Eve. Written for the A2A Holiday Exchange. Prompt by ThisIs MyEscape.


**Title: A Christmas to Remember**

**Summary:** Elena's found a way to restore her memories, has gotten everything she's lost back, and decides she'll reveal this to Damon on Christmas Eve. Written for the A2A Holiday Exchange. Prompt by ThisIs_MyEscape.

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this work.

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><p>"And you're sure this is going to work?"<p>

Bonnie nodded. "It's your best chance at restoring your memories." After everything Damon had done for her to come back by Christmas, she owed it to them both. When she saw how miserable Elena was only knowing half the story and not living through her own memories but rather the interpretations of those around her, she knew she had to do something. She researched all the worn pages of Gram's grimore and the spell books Jo's family had collected. All had seemed hopeless until she stumbled upon a spell that seemed just the ticket.

Elena had been ecstatic. Then Bonnie had warned her of the pain and the consequences and the possibility that it wouldn't work. Now the nerves threatened to overwhelm her. She couldn't take another let down in her quest to get her memories back. All she had to prove that what everyone had been saying was true were the flashes she had seen when crossing the border and the lingering feelings that stuck around despite the compulsion. It had seemed Jeremy was right. You could compel away the memories but it seemed that the strongest of feelings never truly went away.

Biting her lips seemed to be the only way to stop herself from crumbling. "Ready as I'll ever be."

"Here goes nothing." Bonnie held her palms out and went into that trance she so often did when conducting a spell. Her words spat gibberish that Elena could hardly understand. She felt a wave of pain crash over her as she grabbed hold of her temples and fell to her knees. The pain in her skull was excruciating. It felt as if her brain was imploding in on itself over and over again. Bonnie was sending her sympathetic glances but didn't stop in her endless chanting.

Suddenly, she heard her name being called in the distance. "Elena! Bonnie, what are you doing? Stop! You'll kill her!" Elena felt Damon's hands on her instantly as he picked her up. With each cry of pain from Elena's lips, Damon's anger grew. "Stop it, Bonnie!"

"I can handle it," Elena grunted, grinding on her teeth to stop herself from screaming. "Just let me try."

"It isn't worth it!"

She met his eyes then and saw the fear in them. "It is to me, Damon."

Then suddenly a memory surfaced. It was a blurry, hazy memory of her and Damon in her family's kitchen. He sat beside her at the kitchen island as she folded some napkins. _"I'm sorry,"_ she had stated, earning a confused scrunched up face from Damon. _"About Katherine,"_ she continued. She had caught him off guard. He leaned back slightly, blinking in shock. _"You lost her, too."_ And in that moment she knew she was seeing the real Damon for the first time. Up until that moment he had been playing them all, covering up his motives. Yet in that moment, it all fell away and she had seen him for who he was, she alone had understood him. And just like that, she snapped back to reality and the pain and being in Damon arms.

Then the pain faded away. "What happened?" she turned to Bonnie and saw that she looked defeated. "Why did you stop?"

"Do you not even realize that was killing you?" Damon balked. He wiped his finger under her eyes and showed her the blood. "It's everywhere, Elena. Your eyes, ears, nose. Having your memory back means nothing if you're dead. I told you we'll make new ones. We'll start over."

Tears blended with the blood and formed red rivers of sadness down her face. "But I remembered something. It was working."

Damon's eyes widened. "What did you remember?"

"Saying I was sorry that you lost Katherine. We were in my kitchen. Just the two of us. Talking."

He gave her a small smile. "It was the first time someone showed concern for me in a long time. You surprised me in that moment."

It was her turn to meet his smile, though her disappointment kept it from truly reaching her eyes. "I saw that too."

"I'm so sorry, Elena. I thought for sure it would work." Bonnie made her way over to them with a horrified look on her face at her best friend's appearance. She must have looked manic and near death for the way Bonnie's eyes searched her face.

Elena felt weak. She mustered up all she could to reassure her best friend. "It did work. We can try again. Do it little by little."

"No," Damon demanded. His voice was so strong that both girls turned to look at him. "You're not killing yourself over this. I can tell you anything you want to know. So can Caroline and Bonnie and Ric and even Stefan."

Her face fell. "But none of you can tell me how _I_ felt in those moments. What was going through _my_ head. It's not just the memories I want but my thoughts with it. My journals are only from after I burned my house down. And I had Ric change everything I thought about you. Every memory is altered by hatred. When I hear those stories from other people it's all I can think about. How in my mind you're a monster."

Damon flinched but recovered quickly. He knew by now not to get upset over her reflexive response. "It's okay, Elena. It'll just take time." He placed one hand under her chin, making her look up at him. His other arm still stayed around her, being her strength. "And thanks to a little thing called vampirism we have plenty of that."

"I guess you're right." Though her mind was already trying to come up with some other way to get her memories back. There had to be some way. Something she was missing.

He leaned in close to her and pulled her legs up so he could carry her. "We'll get you some O-negative and you'll be good as new." Smiling he led the way to the car, Bonnie following. Once they were inside and the pain had worn off some Damon turned towards her and brushed her hair back from her face, a melancholy look on his face. "Can we just enjoy Christmas and worry about your memories after the New Year? Bonnie and I are back and I just want a normal holiday. Well, as normal as Christmas in Mystic Falls can be."

"It used to be quite normal," Bonnie whispered.

"Very," Elena replied, memories of snow ball fights and tree lighting filling her mind. Now they hadn't had a normal Christmas in ages. No matter how hard they tried. It was instead filled with death and despair and brothers trained to kill you and travelers wanting you and mothers getting diagnosed with incurable diseases.

Damon gave them both an encouraging smile. "We're going to give it our best shot. Caroline's orders."

He turned his body towards the road with a hand on Elena's thigh. He wasn't about to let her go anytime soon. Not when her desperation to get her memories back caused her not to think clearly in his mind. The rest of the drive was relatively quiet with only Damon and Bonnie discussing Caroline's huge demands this Christmas. They weren't about to force Elena into any conversation after everything she had just been through. Instead the car was filled with plans of tree trimming and caroling and bringing back Secret Santa.

The memories of Christmas past brought one final idea to mind. Maybe getting her memories back wasn't something a witch could fix but that an Original could.

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><p>Getting Damon to let her go on a girls' weekend after her dance with death had been hard enough, getting Caroline to agree with it was a whole other story. Caroline with all her planning and perfection didn't want to disappear on a getaway just before the holidays. Following much insistence on Elena's point that this was all for Caroline, she finally agreed after delegating duties to Stefan and Damon in regards to having the boarding house in tip-top shape. She could've sworn Damon was fighting back remarks.<p>

Once in the car and far away from Mystic Falls, Elena finally explained where they were going and why. Two wide-eyed shocked faces stared back at her.

"New Orleans?" Caroline screeched. "I'm leaving decorating to Dumb and Dumber so we can visit Klaus?"

Elena focused on the road ahead. "He's the only one who can get my memories back."

Bonnie gave her a sympathetic glance. "I thought you promised Damon you weren't going to worry about this until after the holidays."

"It's the last thing I can think of to try. I have to give it one last shot."

"And trusting Klaus to help you seemed like the best option?" She scoffed. "Honestly, Elena."

She looked embarrassed. "That's mainly why I brought you."

Caroline made a gagging noise. "Way to use your friends! His infatuation with me is infuriating."

"But in this case extremely helpful. He'll do nearly anything for you. I'm just hoping this could be one of them. And I asked Elijah to help. That should sweeten the deal."

Her friends stared at her for a long time. Bonnie giving Caroline glances to help with the cause. They both knew how distraught Elena had been. How determined she was to learn the half of the love story between her and Damon that her mind had twisted up and warped. They had both tried to help to no avail and here was something Caroline could do to help. She didn't have magic after all. With a sigh, she agreed and Elena pressed harder on the gas. The promise of returned memories getting them there in record time.

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><p>Damon was absolutely nervous. He had a Christmas Eve date with his girlfriend. Though he wasn't sure if that's what she was anymore. They had been taking things slow, reliving and revamping (no pun intended) old memories and stories while starting over new. He felt as strongly for her as he had the night he drove his precious Camaro into his favorite bar with his favorite girl beside him. It was the night he lost it all. The night he pulled a Han Solo and quieted his girls proclamation of love with a wimpy <em>"I know"<em>. If he had known then that he would have to wait so long to hear her utter those words again he would've let her finish.

Now he could only wait, something he felt was all he had done in his long life, for her to say it again. He knew it would be worth it because Elena always was. The waiting just sucked. Not that he would tell her that. Seeing her bleeding and in pain or drowning before his eyes as she crossed the border proved just how patient he could be. There just had to be another way.

But as he had promised Elena, those thoughts would be put off until after the holidays. For now he just focused on the change he had noticed in her since her return from a weekend away with the girls. Elena seemed happier lately. He knew it had to do with having Bonnie back and having a fun weekend with her friends but something told him it was more. He just couldn't pinpoint what that more was exactly. It was foolish to hope it had something to do with him so he brushed it aside and chose to enjoy her happiness.

So what if she hadn't been asking about their past. It was something he accounted to her disappointment over failing with Bonnie. He knew they would flare up again, she was so curious about the story of them. The story of how the monster without a shred of humanity came to care because of a girl full of light and life. Her depictions of him didn't match with the feelings that were bubbling up inside her or the stories she heard. Even hearing Bonnie and Stefan's take had proved too telling to disprove. Bonnie, her eldest friend, and Stefan, who had in her mind been the one to hate Damon the most, had every reason to prove her mind right and yet they told her the opposite.

Elena wasn't the suicidal girl intent on getting her memories for now and it was a welcomed reprieve. He was rather enjoying a break from it all. He imagined he was courting her all over again. That's why he was looking forward to spending Christmas Eve together. He had always loved the holidays and being with his girl even with the distortion was more than he could ask for. He adjusted the dark green pullover Elena had got him last year and stepped out the door.

That's when he saw it. On top of the hood of his Camaro was a big red bow with a folded letter atop it. With intrigue, he strode towards it and opened up the letter to see Elena's handwriting.

_Merry Christmas, Damon!_

_I was thinking of spicing things up this year. Make them a little interesting. From what I've learned you're into that sort of thing. Though maybe not this way… But here's the deal. I'm going to send you on a little Christmas Eve Scavenger Hunt to find me and your present! There will be twelve clues that send you all around Mystic Falls. Good luck!_

_See you soon,_

_Elena_

Damon couldn't help the smile that formed on his face. It nearly matched the ridiculous doodle she had drawn below her name. He reached for the big bow on top of his car and saw that there was a tag attached. He pulled it off finding his girls handwriting once again.

_Card #1: This car has had tons of adventures hasn't it? I can only imagine. The one thing I know is it was this car that took us on our first: Bree's Bar. No. I'm not sending you to Georgia. Just letting you know that it was in this car and in that place where you and I truly became friends. Far away from Mystic Falls and other voices, I was able to decipher who Damon Salvatore really is. And I meant what I said. When it's real you can't walk away. I'm not walking away from this. Are you? If not, go to the place where you saved me the first time._

Rereading the lines over and over, Damon was dumbstruck. Was it possible? Could Elena possibly remember their time in Georgia? He tried not to get his hopes up. It was possible she had told Caroline or Bonnie what happened in Atlanta. The things she had said to get through to Lee as he doused him with gasoline and struck a match. The things she couldn't possibly have meant to mean so much later on. It was at all possible she had heard all of this second hand. And yet… he hoped.

He flashed into his car and drove to the spot that had led to it all. Of course, Damon remembered that night vividly. How he had been on his way back from feeding and about to hit the road to Atlanta solo when he heard the sounds of a crash. At first he has brushed it aside. He didn't meddle with human mortality. Yet he found himself being drawn to it. Then as he was just steps away, he heard Elena's scream. That decided it for him. He flashed over to her, sending away the hooded vampire that had caused the whole thing, and pulled her from the car. She had been weak and disoriented and had fainted in his arms. Hearing her utter a question about her doppelganger made the decision for him. He decided to do the right thing and give her a time out with him. The last thing he expected was to bring out the side of her he had seen in the middle of a road moments before her whole life changed. It was a memory and decision he never regretted.

As he approached the stretch of hallway where her car had flipped, he searched the road for some sign of her. Instead he found another card. Well, it couldn't be that easy.

_Card #2: So you're in this for the long haul, huh? Eternity is a long time… You sure you're ready for it? I won't have you traveling to a bunch of vacant roads like where we first met or where I showed you that I was the girl for you because I was just as crazy as you were. Your words. Not mine. I'll let this one speak for them all. You've always known what I needed Damon. You knew when we first met what I was looking for. __Passion. Adventure. Maybe a little danger__. You knew our last night as us that there was no way I was letting you save the world by yourself so you let me tag along. And right here you knew that I needed a time out and maybe you even knew that time alone would help me to let you in. I can't thank you enough for always being the one who understood me more than anyone. You even knew when I didn't want to be embarrassed. Go to the place where we shared our first dance._

Damon had her words right there saying that it was his words and yet there was still that nagging feeling. Maybe the rest were her friend's words of how he had always been there. He had even heard that Caroline had been talking him up. Yet that hope still lingered. Why was she doing all of this? Making him relive memories that she didn't have. He knew those feelings were still there and that she was having a hard time separating her head from her heart. This could all just be her way of making him happy. He resigned himself to it and drove himself over to the Lockwood Mansion.

As he stood on the makeshift dance floor in the massive backyard he thought back on the moment. Elena had intrigued him immediately on that vacant road but as he got to know her and she opened up more and more to him his intrigue grew to more. Stefan bailing on her and seeing that anxiety take over her face quickened an instinct in him and gave him the most amazing two minutes and twenty-seven seconds of his life. With Elena in his arms, he could tell she was still anxious and worries about what had happened to Stefan and yet with a few almost touches he had managed to make it all disappear.

Then something changed.

As she smiled and looked at him, following his steps as he twirled her around the dance floor, the whole world fell away and there was only them. He felt something for this young, infuriating teenager that he had never felt before. Not even with Katherine. It settled over him as they dance and as soon as the feeling formed a name he realized it had been slowly burning within him for months. He knew it was hopeless, that he didn't stand a chance this time. That he didn't even want to go toe-to-toe with his brother to win her affection. He just wanted to see this girl smile. He just wanted her happy. And that solidified it. He was in love.

The memory and the feeling of that real, unselfish love brewing inside him made him forget the real reason he was here. It took a while for him to snap back to the present and notice the card awaiting him in the center of the dance floor.

_Card #3: Hiya sexy! Naïve little Elena Gilbert noticed how attractive you were from the very beginning. Yes, I was shameless flirting with that mysterious stranger in the middle of the road. And even though I had forgotten all that, it didn't stop me from being taken back by you. Of course, I did my best to hide it and ignore it. I was with your brother after all. But here, in this very spot, in your arms, I finally let myself feel it. I hid a lot of my feelings regarding you because they scared me so much. Not anymore. Go to the place where we first really kissed._

And so he went to the property where Elena's house once stood.

_Card #4: I still can't believe it's gone. I had so many memories in this house. The later ones were filled with you. This is the place where we kissed and fought and comforted each other so many times. And now it's all gone. I was so breathless when you kissed me for the first time. I couldn't even react. I just stood there after you walked away completely lost to the feeling. That should've told me everything right there. Especially when the memory of you first telling me you loved me was finally returned to me. You're so selfless, Damon. I wish more people could see that in you. I know I do. I was so happy we got to have one last memory on that porch in 1994. Swinging on that porch swing (that you fixed!) I wish I could've had all those memories we had here. I would've made the most of it. I plan to make the most out of eternity now that I have you back. Go to the place in town where I first realized I didn't want to you._

He could've stayed on that property reminiscing about everything they shared here. All the things that he knew they shared that she wouldn't, some that evens he couldn't. Like the first he sneaked into her bedroom and touched her cheek or the first time she made him realize he cared about Mystic Falls and he gave that speech only to find out later it had been delivered to Katherine. He wanted to stay there but he knew that the longer he stood there reliving the past the longer it would take for him to get to Elena. To see what his present was and what all this traveling down memory lane had to do with it. So he went to the building where her father used to work and where she had forced Bonnie to calm the flames to help Stefan save him.

And the card left there led him to another place and so on. She sent him all over Mystic Falls until he had eleven cards. They brought him to the Grille, the woods, the town square, the gymnasium, the science classroom, the abandoned Witches house, and then his family's mausoleum. Each card told of memories shared, getting more and more detailed as the hunt went on. By the end of the night he was wondering what kind of torture she was putting him through. Was this all designed to make him as crazy as she was about getting her memories back? Did she not think he wanted her to have them back just as badly? 'Cause he did and then some.

As the night wore on, he found himself getting more and more aggravated that he only had her words on this trip. What he wanted was to share Christmas Eve with her. Not some envelope. Instead of enjoying reading her point of view he grew anxious of what followed. He hoped this letter was the last and that this was all some message that she had somehow managed to get her memories back. That hope threatened to overwhelm him. This was exactly what he wanted to prevent and now he couldn't shake it. He reread the last sentence, determined to get this over with.

_Go to the place where you finally believed I loved you._

Back home? He hopped in his car and sped over to the boarding house. He saw her car there and his heart quickened. This was it. The moment of truth. He jumped out and practically flashed inside. Making his way towards the room where Elena had angrily said _"I'm not sorry I'm in love with you" _finally driving the point home. As he looked up he saw the fireplace blazing and the woman he loved standing before it dressed in black slacks and heels, and a dark green peplum top. Yes, he knew the name. She stood there, beaming as he strode towards her and his smile started and then stopped as he noticed the envelope in her hands.

"Another card?"

She looked down and sheepishly stated, "It's the last one. A sort of twelve cards of Christmas." Elena held out the card and he sensed her nerves. What did she have to be nervous about? Did she sense the impatience in his voice?

Damon gave her a quick smirk as he opened the letter. There were only three words scribbled out and it made all the anticipation worth it. Finally, the whole night came together. Elena was giving him their story through her eyes. Ever since she lost her memory everything had been in another's perspective. But now…

_I remember everything._

He looked up at her, the happiness almost bringing tears to his eyes. As he fought against crashing his lips to hers, he managed a question. "How is this possible? Did Bonnie's spell work?"

Elena shook her head. "No. I came up with another way."

"What was it?"

She bit her lip, a sure sign of her nerves. Damon reached out to touch her, a gentle touch of his hand on her arm. As she took a breath, she finally revealed how. "I figured since it was an Original who compelled the memories away only an Original could compel them back."

His hand fell. "You visited Klaus?" At her lack of response he berated on. "Do you have a death wish? He could've killed you, Elena. You know he's pissed because he can't make hybrids for all of eternity."

"His priorities have changed somewhat. Needless to say he has his hands pretty full to hold any grudge against me." Her eyes flickered up towards him, anger darkening them. "I did it for us! And it worked; thank you for very much."

"But it might not have!"

Both of her hands flew up in exasperation. Elena turned towards the flames, quiet and arms now folded. They both were breathless with anger and over what? Elena was here in front of him with the full knowledge of everything that had ever happened to them. She didn't think he was a monster or some stranger but the man she loved enough that his death ruined her. And what was he doing in response? Ruining her big display of affection and berating her for doing exactly what he would've done: gone to the devil. Maybe he was really mad because he hadn't thought of it first.

As they both panted unnecessarily, Damon realized he couldn't take the distance anymore. He had waited too damn long for this moment and he wasn't going to waste another second. It was his fault her gift to him was ruined and it was up to him to set it right. "So you remember everything?"

It was a few beats before she answered. "Yes."

"Even this?" He didn't wait for her to respond. Quick as he could, he turned her body towards him and flashed her against the fireplace, hitching her leg onto his hip. He didn't move to kiss her or press himself against her any more than necessary. She was close enough to kiss and it took everything inside of him not to make the first move.

Her eyes were torn between his eyes and his lips. They grew lidded and hungry and he realized that through the commotion her hands had wound up in his hair. Her fingers tugged at the strands and pulled him closer. Only the smallest amount of air was between them. "Not yet."

"Why?" he replied, huskily.

His eyes met hers as she whispered. "Because I've waited too long to say this."

"Say what?"

She smiled then and boy was it beautiful. It was real and stunning and it would've struck him dead if he wasn't already. Her eyes softened as his hand released her leg and she stood squarely on her own two feet. The passion and hunger for one another still lingered but the mood had shifted momentarily into something more serious. He waited as her hands slid from his hair and caressed his face. They gently grazed over his skin as her eyes intently stared, taking it all in. It was as if she was seeing him for the first time after his return and he realized she had never really had this moment. Now that he knew by her own words just how much his death had broken her he understood her need to slow the whole thing down. It was like coming home again. It was the reunion he had wanted when she opened her dorm room door. Better late than never.

"I love you, Damon. I love you so much," she whispered, taking hold of his face. Her eyes were glassy as she looked at him but she was smiling. They were happy tears. Tears that spoke of love and promise and forever.

He bent his head to touch her forehead. "I promised you this was forever. I never break a promise."

She released a cry as she wrapped her arms around him. As she squeezed him tight, she muttered the words, "No, I suppose you don't." After all, he had survived death to make it back to her.

They stood there holding each other with only the sounds of the crackling fire to keep them company. Then Elena lessened her hold and pulled back to look at him once more. She hesitated only a moment before pressing her lips against his. It started off soft and slow as they rekindled that flame that had never really been extinguished—even in death. Eventually her arms found their way around his neck and his lifted her legs to go around his waist. He pressed her against the fireplace this time letting her fully feel what she did to him. She whimpered, "I need you," and he didn't have to be told twice.

"Hang on," he said before flashing them up his bedroom. He laid her down on his custom built bed, enjoying the sight of her brown hair spread out on his comforter. Damon took only a moment to enjoy it before crashing his lips to hers losing himself to everything Elena. It had been way to long since their lips had touched and it was like flicking a match onto a pool of gasoline. Everything exploded.

Clothes were torn, bodies were explored, and both of them had to stop themselves several times in a reminder to slow down. But it was all too much and neither one of them were immune. They worshiped each other over and over again. Relearning that which could never really be forgotten. When he entered her for the first time since coming back, he came apart in her arms as she moaned in his ear. They never grew tired so they felt no need to stop. Fast and slow. Slow and fast. It was all too much and yet not nearly enough. They were a mess of limbs and positions as they both tried to reach some impossible peak to make up for lost time. It was all so indescribable and when they both finally came down, the bed a mess of sheets, their hair stuck up in all angles, and both of them panting way more than a vampire should, all they could do was stare at each other.

His hand caressed her cheek in the same way he had the first time he ever allowed himself to touch her. "You never even gave me a chance to say I love you, too."

"I didn't have to wait as long to hear it."

"No," he smiled, remembering how he blurted the phrase out before saying he would let her go. Thankfully now he never had to. "Suppose you lucked out on that one." She rolled over and cuddled close to him and Damon let himself enjoy the fact that he could hold her whenever he wanted again. He inhaled her scent and drew lazy patterns against her bare skin. They were lost completely lost in the moment that they soon began to lose track of time.

The sound of a door closing downstairs broke the spell. "The rest of the world awaits."

"Just a little longer," he whined.

She propped her head on her hand and looked at him playfully. "Or face the wrath of Caroline Forbes?"

"We can take her."

Elena just shook her head. "In your dreams."

As she went to leave he pulled her back down to him with a kiss. "Aren't you forgetting something?" he asked when she pulled back. She looked at him confused. "Aren't you curious what I got you for Christmas?"

"You mean this whole night wasn't it?" she winked.

He pulled her back down, rolling her over and tickling her sides. Her laughter filled the room and he tried to quiet her by covering her mouth with his. "Any louder and we'll give Blondie and Stef a real Christmas surprise!"

"Then stop tickling me!" she laughed out as he tortured her with kisses along her neck. He reached towards his night stand and pulled out a slender velvet box. Only stopping his assault on her body when it was placed in her hand.

Elena's laughter died down into a sweet smile as she stared at the box which was only decorated with a small red bow. Her eyes flickered to him before she opened the box and gave a gasp at what she saw inside. "Damon, this is beautiful!" Her fingers ran along the silver chain that held a locket. She opened the clasp and Damon watched as her hand went over her mouth at the sight of the pictures inside. He had gone through her friends photos to find the perfect ones. On one side was a family photo of her parents, Jeremy and Jenna at a town function. The other was one of all her friends. They were taken just far away enough to fit into the small frame and when Elena looked up at him her eyes were full of tears.

"I wanted you to always have them with you."

She leaned over and kissed him. "There's only one thing missing."

He furrowed his brow. "What's that?"

"A picture of you."

"Don't you get it?" he smiled. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll always be with you."

And then they came back together as if they hadn't just been in at it all night.

* * *

><p>"I'm never going to get that image out of my head," Caroline groaned.<p>

Damon rolled his eyes. "There's this little thing called knocking. Maybe you heard of it?"

She shoved him. "There's this big thing called punctuality. Maybe you and Elena can adhere to it?"

"Sorry, Care," Elena offered, snuggling into Damon side. She offered him a cup of hot chocolate and whispered in his ear to be nice.

They had just finished marathoning Christmas movies and having a traditional Christmas Eve dinner of seven fishes. With Christmas only minutes away, they had begun putting presents under the tree for the morning. Caroline was going through some boxes and suddenly was standing over Damon and Elena with a familiar looking custom overhead.

"Mistletoe, you two," she smiled.

Damon gave her a smirk. "Want more of the show, huh?"

Caroline groaned but Damon's response was quieted by Elena's kiss. She patted his leg and snagged the mistletoe out of Caroline's hand and gently shoved her in Stefan's general direction. "Whoops! Mistletoe!" she sang. They both looked at each other awkwardly before Stefan chastely kissed her on the cheek.

"What a cop out!" Damon groaned earning a glare from Stefan. He put his hands up in surrender. "There's always New Years!"

Elena collapsed next to him and he put his arm around her. She gave a happy sigh and he couldn't help but follow her gaze about the room. She had her friends all around her, there were no looming threats, and he liked to think that he was the reason why her smile grew as she placed a hand on his thigh. Her memories were back and ironically it meant that they only had the future to look forward to. Forever.

The clock struck midnight and Elena looked up at him with love in her eyes. He had missed that look. "Merry Christmas, Damon."

He knew he had a reason to love the holidays again and it was all because of the girl beside him. Placing a kiss on her forehead, he replied, "Merry Christmas, Elena."

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><p><strong>AN: Merry Christmas! Enjoy all the amazing Delena Holiday stories over at tvdmixing. And read & review as always xx**


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